Different Types of Orange County Nursing Home Abuse/Neglect, Part 3

In <parts one> and <two> of this series, we discussed some of the different types of claims that can be brought against nursing homes, including claims for willful misconduct, medical malpractice, and simple negligence. In this article, we will discuss two more issues commonly encountered by Orange County nursing home attorneys: malnutrition and dehydration.

Malnutrition Caused by Nursing Home Neglect

“Neglect” refers generally to the failure to prevent physical harm, mental anguish, and emotional suffering. In the nursing home context, the most common signs of neglect are malnutrition and dehydration. Nursing homes must carefully monitor a patient’s body weight and administer a diet that provides required vitamins and minerals like potassium, magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin B6.

The most obvious sign of malnutrition due to neglect is significant weight loss. People who are most at risk for malnutrition are those who are unable to feed themselves and those who have psychological or emotional problems. Nursing home understaffing sometimes leads to a failure to distribute food to patients on time. Additionally, patients who are unable to feed themselves may not receive the assistance they need. Patients whose medical conditions or medications can cause loss of appetite need to be given extra careful attention.

Dehydration Caused by Nursing Home Neglect

Dehydration occurs when nursing home residents do not receive enough fluids on a daily basis. In hospitals, fluid intake and output is carefully monitored, and patient records reflect this. In nursing homes, residents do not always get as much fluid as they require. Dehydration manifests itself in a number of ways, including sunken cheeks, dry mouth, dry or inelastic skin, weight loss, hypertension, and confusion.

An Orange County Nursing Home Attorney Can Help

If you have a loved one who has been injured due to nursing home neglect, please call Orange County nursing home attorney Samer Habbas at (888) 848-5084 to discuss what compensation may be available.

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